• Ride 1. Buckingham Palace
  • Ride 2. Chiswick House

Ride 1. London Bridge to Buckingham Palace

Photos from Owen

Seven riders on our “Tourist Ride” with as usual Simon K. leading. Here is his report.

Originally twelve names were on the list to join the ride, though some ‘no shows’ and cancellations meant six of us left London Bridge with a temperature thankfully lower than the previous days.
Across the bridge, and with road works in Cannon Street a slight detour was executed. Along the Embankment, busy with cyclists. The closer we got to Parliament Square, the more alert we had to be with tourists absentmindedly stepping into the cycle lane risking a nasty collision. Along with hordes of tourists we stopped close to Buckingham Palace where your leader gave a potted history of the Palace, and was subsequently asked several questions to which he had no answer. Memo to the leader, either mug up properly or stop trying to be a clever know – it – all.
Mike, whose train had been delayed, caught us up at the Palace. Then on to St James’s Palace and Admiralty Arch, soon to be a long delayed hotel. A pleasant coffee stop at Storey’s Gate which is overseen by the Royal Parks Commission. With one eye on family commitments the ride leader asked that we retraced our ride along the Embankment, arriving back at midday.
With many thanks to Sue & Adrian who acted as my eyes and ears, to Tony & Mike for their backmarking, indeed to all six for making it a fun ride.

Ride 2. Dulwich to Chiswick House

Photos from Paula

Popular ride with 17 starters including Ride Leader Joyn S. and a backstop and marshals. Report from John.

The heat of the past two days had abated, and we met in warm pleasant sunshine by Dulwich Park Café at 10am. We set off in a group of seventeen to Brockwell Park, then to Clapham Common, and on to Wandsworth Bridge, from which point we followed the Thames Path to Putney Bridge, and so to Bishop’s Park. There we paused: Jamie organized us into two tidy groups flanking the great gate of Fulham Palace, with the fountain sparkling in the background, for our group photo. Only then could we proceed, past a largely empty Fulham Stadium, and along the river path under Hammersmith Bridge, and so to Chiswick Park. There, peace reigned: a leisurely half hour in the shade as the sun grew hotter…

Our return followed the long straight cycleway through Chiswick High Street to Hammersmith, and on past Olympia (at last on view, free of its building site look of the past few years), and thence to Holland Park. We took the quiet side-street route across to Kensington Gardens, and left via Queen’s Gate, heading in a straight line to Old Church Street, and so the river. Crossing Albert Bridge we reached Battersea Park, and from there headed back to Clapham Common, and so to Dulwich Park.

Thank You to Jean, for back-marking, and Thank You to Jamie for marshalling!

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